


Bovril

by daalny



Category: Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-08
Updated: 2012-03-08
Packaged: 2017-11-01 16:00:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/358668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daalny/pseuds/daalny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the Dominator had gone into the lake?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bovril

Norway, held a beauty completely it’s own. The snow had a sterilizing effect on the landscape one almost felt obliterated by its all-encompassing whiteness. Trees here and there jutted out providing a bit of colour. The uniform green of the trees against the white when viewed through a camera lens gave a black and white effect. One colour the camera was trying to avoid was red. The Dominator-combine-harvester-cum-snow plough had had its door secured open with a rope. On this rope was wound a piece red fabric a reminder to all that this door would always be open. 

The premise was simple, plough a runway on a frozen lake have a plane land and prove that pounds could be saved by converting dormant machinery. While it had been filmed that the ice depth was 45 cm. In other places it was 50, which gave a small sense of relief. Nonetheless the massive tonnage of the Dominator could not be ignored. Even with the door secured open James had placed a hatchet in the cab. The same one he had gripped when he and Jeremy had crossed the frozen ocean to reach magnetic north. Its bright yellow handle meant it was secured behind the Bovril drum so it couldn’t be seen on camera.

As gingerly as the big machine could it began swathing a path on the ice. The first minutes were tense yet there was no creaking or creases in the snow to indicate an imminent break. A modicum of ease passed over those at the lake until Murphy and his Law came for a visit. 

The crack and thud made by the ice rivaled a gunshot it was so loud. Immediately the front end of the dominator lurched into the newly formed hole. Richard Hammond jumped from the top onto the ice his resulting landing had him emitting a scream. Jeremy had been at the back and when the front end lurched he had clung on then swung over the back and used the gritting pipe to lower to safety. A safety officer who was tethered was moving towards Richard. The young presenter’s face was pinched with pain and even though the weather was freezing he had broken a sweat. Jeremy was ignoring the shouts to come to shore. He skidded to the front and found James. From the armpits up he was dry yet already his lips were tinged blue. Jeremy knew all too well what his friend was feeling. The sensation of being kicked in the chest and having all your air taken away while knives stabbed at you. The freezing water was first cousin to the Iron Maiden. Another safety officer, this one not tethered, had reached Jeremy and between the two of them they pulled James up and out of the lake. 

Behind the cameras an area had been set up complete with large tents for warming and housing crew and equipment. Richard had been taken into the larger tent where a medic was tending to his ankle. Without an X-ray the medic couldn’t say whether it was badly sprained, fractured, or broken. 

Meanwhile James had been placed in the smaller tent. The safety officer and Jeremy were stripping of his clothing. James tried to help but his hands were clumsy.

“It’s all right James let us do it.” Jeremy commanded.

“Dennis” A scream came from outside and the safety officer looked up.

Jeremy calmly addressed him, “I know what to do, the Arctic course.”

“If you need _anything_ give a shout.”

“Tell me how Hammond is.” Clarkson barked as he began removing his jacket.

James was pale and uncoordinated. Jeremy grabbed a towel and began wiping him down getting him as dry as possible. Jeremy explained before removing the rest of his clothes. He took a deep breath to steel himself before wrapping himself around the human ice block that was his friend. Even though most of James’ top half did not enter the lake his arms were cold. With all of Jeremy’s limbs occupied he brushed his lips across James’ neck and nuzzled his shoulder to gauge his temperature it too was cold. Jeremy hastily broke contact to grab a fresh towel and drape it over their heads. James was lucid enough to notice it but not lucid enough to know what it was for. Jeremy gripped his arms to prevent him from dislodging the towel. He nuzzled against his head in an attempt to soothe, “Good thing this didn’t get wet but you lose a good deal of your body heat through your head so this’ll keep it in until I find something better.”

James grunted and Jeremy hoped that it was in affirmation of what he just said. Slowly and steadily the shivers became less violent. A scratching was heard on the fabric of the tent before Dennis stuck his head in. “Ambulance is going to take Hammond to hospital.”

Jeremy dislodged the towel, “Are we taking May?”

“Let’s get his core temperature and if it’s still too low we’ll load him up” Dennis announced as he grabbed a medkit and removed a thermometer and placed a plastic sheath over it, Jeremy looked away when he saw that Dennis was then lubricating it. He remembered how the SAS medics had taken his temperature. Jeremy gripped him tighter and told him, “We’re taking your temperature James it’s all right.”

James flinched but held still, after a handful of heartbeats the thermometer beeped.

“35.7 degrees that good.” Dennis then lifted up the blankets and took a quick look. “no chilblains on him, damn lucky.”

“What now?” Jeremy asked as he tucked the blanket back underneath to seal in the heat. Dennis grabbed an alcohol wipe and quickly took care of the thermometer as he put things back in order he spoke, “Another thirty minutes of warming, after that another temp check and then we get him and you something loaded with sugar. Good for shock.”

James was slowly becoming more aware of his surroundings. On his back he felt a heaviness of a woolen blanket. Under his cheek and chest he could feel the warmth of skin its smoothness broken up by the faint tickling of sparse hair. He knew he was plastered against a male he then heard slurping and whispered, “Jeremy.”

His quiet exclamation startled him and Jeremy nearly spilled his hot tea over the man stuck to his front. By some miracle he was able to steady the wayward cup and place it on the tent floor. “Back with us now?” He asked James.

“Seem to be, where’s Hammond?”

“Went off to hospital for an X-ray make sure his ankle is all right after he leapt off the Dominator.”

“And you?”

“Oh I’m fine, just under orders to drink tea. How do you feel?”

”Tired, and sore like I’ve gone through an aerobics class.”

Jeremy huffed out a breath and nodded, “That’s from the shivering, as for the tiredness you probably burned through all your calories in an effort to get warm so you need something to eat. I suggest you start with some tea, we have some with plenty of milk and sugar.”

A flash of black revealed a flask and Jeremy poured him some.

James moved to sit up the blanket slithering off of him and Jeremy to pool in James’ lap. Jeremy snagged two other blankets placing one around James’ shoulders and the other over his lap. While the portable heater was keeping the tent a comfortable temperature the blankets would protect modesty.

James sipped his tea and had a thought, “I take it the Bovril is in the lake?”

James’ comment had Jeremy chuckling, they shared a laugh before turning attention back to their beverages. Dennis then reappeared through the tent flap. “well you’re looking better last time I saw you.”

James nodded and ducked his head. Jeremy saw that Dennis was retrieving the medkit so he merely turned his body away and stared at the Orange and Black fabric of the tent. James noticed that Jeremy had shied away from Dennis and then he saw why. He sighed before rolling over onto his side. The reading showed that James’ core body temperature had returned to normal. When Jeremy heard the plastic snaps of the medkit closing he turned back around. 

To break the awkwardness Dennis announced, “Mr. Hammond suffered a hairline fracture he’s been treated and released should be back at the hotel. We’re packing up you’re the last tent then we can get into the vans and go. I’ll go so you can get dressed then we’ll pack up.”

“Clothes?” James asked.

Dennis ducked back outside the tent then shoved in a backpack. “Nice and dry.”

The two went to respective corners to dress. The lightweight sweater slipped effortlessly over James’ arms however, when he went to button his jeans he found his hands still clumsy. “Cock” he muttered.

”Whats the matter?”

“Can’t get this button to fasten.”

Jeremy turned to face him and saw James ineffectually trying to force the silver button through the hole. He exhaled but not in frustration, he moved forward and grabbed the denim of the waistband of James’ jeans. His knuckles brushed against the soft skin of James’ pelvis. Jeremy pulled the denim closer to him so he could see and in doing so James entered his personal space. The taller man was radiating heat and James couldn’t help himself he dropped his forehead against Jeremy’s shoulder. He taller man drew his arms up and embraced the shorter one. He ran his hands in soothing circles over and murmured comfort, “You’re safe. It’s over we’ll never go near any frozen lakes again.”

James chuckled and Jeremy could feel it in his chest on he was about to drop a kiss onto his hair but stopped and merely rested his cheek on the top of James’ head. “Come on lets go to the hotel.”

The two broke apart and Jeremy grabbed James’ ParaJumpers Jacket and held it out for him. The Jacket had not only survived the dunking but had dried quickly. James pushed his arms through and Jeremy put on his and grabbed James’ backpack before they scrambled out of the tent to the waiting van.

At the hotel Richard was already in his room. He was lying on the bed with his leg propped up on pillows. He had a somewhat passive look on his face no doubt from the painkillers. A cameraman named Phil was with him flipping through the Norse television channels to find something to watch. 

James had ensconced himself in his room, he grabbed the extra blankets from the shelf above closet. He dumped them on the foot of the bed and then saw what he was doing. He sighed in disgust he moved towards the heater only to find the thermostat registered 22. It was plenty warm in the room it must be a psychological side effect.

Nonetheless he ran a shower his reasoning that he wanted to wash off the lake water. He heard a banging at his door and slapped off the taps and quickly wrapped a towel around his waist. His feet left soggy prints in the carpet but trod determinedly to the door. He yanked it open to find Jeremy standing on the threshold holding a mug. “We all know that when it's snowing and it's cold you have Bovril. That's a rule of life.”

James bit his bottom lip as he heard his words being echoed back at him. He motioned for Jeremy to come inside. As Jeremy went to pass him the cup James’ hand accidentally knocked it causing Bovril to land on his collarbone. Luckily it was not boiling hot. Jeremy was transfixed by the droplet before he could stop himself he moved forward and licked it off.

The cup was quickly forgotten as the two came together in a crash of lips. Jeremy was clawing at his clothes desperate to shed them. James moved his hands to Jeremy’s shoulders as not to interfere with the removal process. The rational part of James’ brain was screaming as to what they were doing but Jeremy was warm and he didn’t seem to care.

For someone completely useless when it came nearly everything he could be surprisingly perceptive. “This isn’t what it look likes. I mean it is but it’s _more_ ” he trailed off and James smiled in understanding. Seeing the recognition on his face had Jeremy diving back in for another kiss. They moved together and fell onto the bed. Chests and bellies met, it was perfect and hot. Hands roamed and legs twined around one another to gain friction. The room was filled with the sound of heavy breathing and whispered promises. James had pulled Jeremy close anchoring their bodies together. Jeremy got a hand between them to encase both of them in his fist. Long strokes combined with kisses had both emitting moans. It wasn’t long before both lost control. As they calmed James’ shivered the air of the room suddenly too cool for his sweat soaked skin.

Jeremy reached down to pull up the comforter and found it weighted down by a pile of blankets, “Cold, James?” 

“Yes” was the whisper. In an instant Jeremy mentally kicked himself and pulled James closer to him. Their positions in bed echoed the one in the tent as Jeremy kept James warm. 

In the morning both awoke early. The Norse Hotel shower was large a very nice accommodation they both found. They went to breakfast early. Jeremy in his usual uniform of jeans and long-sleeved button up the only concession was a white zippered pullover. James was dressed in lightweight trousers, and black long-sleeved shirt. Jeremy busied himself with a newspaper to keep from staring at him. He was somewhat relieved when he heard the step-thump of Hammond, the Cam-walker allowing him to ambulate to the table. The three were then informed that they would continue filming but on a remote country road. The camera would only shoot Hammond from the waist up to avoid the injured leg. 

It took all day and nearly all night but the road was cleared. The production team had secured accommodations at the village they were ploughing to. The Norse people had been most obliging watching from windows as to not form a crowd. The long day and the painkillers had Hammond retiring early. Jeremy and James were together on a couch sipping hot drinks. Jeremy had tea with a healthy portion of whisky in it while James had Bovril. It wasn’t until Jeremy noticed that James wasn’t responding to him that he noticed the man had fallen asleep. He had seen it before when James had fallen asleep on camera after the light aircraft flight. He merely removed the cup and slung a blanket over the sleeping man. Jeremy then put his feet up on the table and watched the flames of fire flick as the snow fell outside wiping away the work they had done.


End file.
